THIS year’s Wayside Cross Armistice Day Parade will take place on Sunday, 1 November at 2pm at the Wayside Cross on the Pinetown Library grounds.
The parade has taken place annually since 1927, the aim of which is to honour all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the country.
Peter Williams, deputy chairman of the Wayside Cross committee, said after World War I, a sandstone memorial was erected by the women of Pinetown. After World War II, more names were added and later, after the Border War of the 1970s and 1980s, a slab was added to commemorate the Pinetown men killed in war.
The ceremony is hosted by the MOTHs (Memorable Order of Tin Hats) of the Better Ole Shellhole and supported by Umvoti Mounted Rifle.
The MOTHs order was founded on 7 May, 1927 by Charles Evenden, more commonly referred to as the MOTH ‘O’. Stuart Harde, Old Bill of Better Ole Shellhole, said the idea of the order is to help fellow comrades in need, either financially or physically, and to remember all servicemen who have ‘answered the sunset call’ (passed on), both in war and peace times.
The parade is unique, as more than 50 wreaths are laid annually and are therefore laid in pairs due the vast number of wreaths.
Former national serviceman, the late Mario van Wyk, who served with the famous 32 Battalion, will especially be remembered as his name has been added to the memorial slab and will be unveiled.
Williams, who served with his comrade, Mario, was killed in action on 6 June, 1980 at Mulemba in Angola at the beginning of Operation Sceptic when a mortar bomb landed just behind him.
“The honour guard rotates each year between the various services, and this year the Fire Department is providing the Guard of Honour,” he said.
The community is invited to attend to watch old soldiers with berets and medals and a pipe band show their respect and honour their fallen brethren.
A special Wayside Cross medal was gazetted by the Mayor of eThekwini and minted by the Wayside Cross Association two years ago, and will be worn by the participants.
Flowers of remembrance will be available to the those in the community who wish to remember their loved ones lost in disasters of crime.
